Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-01-11
IT'S BIG DAY,
aUNDaY'S HEGlRA TO THE COlEY
ISLAND BEACH.

Scenes at the Manhattan, Oriental and
Brighton Hotels - industrious Fakirs
and Strong -Lunged Money Mak,rs-A
Few of the Attractions
When the Brighton hotel was reached the
reporter found that good many of the chairs
on the piazza were already occupied. Staid
old gentlemen We're reading their papers and
mothers, with their youthful charges, were
walking up and down or gazing at the craft
Of all kinds, whose white sails cOntrasted in
pleasing manner with the deep blue of the
ocean. At the pavilion all was life AMI bus
tie Scores of people, men, women ard chill
dren, disported themselves among the
breakers, which were none of the gentlest,
and the shouts and badinaSe of the bathers
proved that they were thoroughly enjoying
themselves Atthe Manhattan more aecorum,
Or perhaps stiffness, among the holiday
makers was noticeable, and this feature in
tensiiied itself at the Oriental, where every
thing was suggestive of snliditv and eminent
mopriety pointed the way. Sleek merchants
dozed in their chairs or walked about in the
grounds, giving to each other stray bits of
news from the commercial world. There
were foreigners there, too, principally Eng
lishmen, who attired in unspeakable gar
ments, were taking turn" before lunch
Soon after o'clock the real influx of the
day began. Train after train deposited its
living freight and hurri back 10 the city for
more. The seats in froi of the band stand
were rapidly filed, as were those which COM
manded a good view of tho sea The walters
awoke or were aroused from their lethargy,
and were soon busily engaged in waiting up
on the hungry guests. The white aproned
barkeepers ginied themselves for the fray,
and drew countless glasses of beer which they
placed on ice to await the coming of the ever
thirsty throng At $3.50 o'clock the east end
was seen at its best The grounds of the
Manhattan and Oriental presented the appear
ance of vast panorama, in which all the
figures were those of web dressed ladies' and
gentlemen Hardly table at either cara
vansary was unoccupied, and the rain of
money into the cashiers till was unceasing.
RACK TO BRIGHTON.
Jumping into one of the cars Of what is
known as the BONANZA" railroad, possibly
from its excellent paying qualities. the re-
fore he had undergone a thorough ducking,
however, by reason of the waves washing
over the canvas breaStworks which are sup
posed To guard passengers from old NeptuHe's
assaults AT the Brighton one might, to use
a common expression. have walked on the
beads of the assembled multitude, 50 thicllv
were individuals packed together \ fair
business was being done there, hut not nearly
so large IN volume as ono might naturally
have expected The railroad takes down its
thousands and lands them right il the hos
telrv. where everything that the heart of man
desires, in the way of eating and drinking,
may be found. 1t is a fact. however, that
about 800 out of every one of these thousands
seem to be ON the lockout for an unusually
cheap table. and either wander off to the west
end after listening for time TO the strains
of the band, or return to the city, without
having expended a cent
The gentlemen who announce with more or
less distinctness, that the ride To the West end
can ho enjoyed by anybody for the ridicu-
lousy low sum of Eve cents. were all at their
posts when the reporter, after staving in the
top of his hat, succeeded in seating himself in
one of thc low-roofed vehicles, by courtesy
called stages During the few minutes ride
IN opportunity was Afforded of watching the
crowds of people who dotted the beach o.
strolled along the d,ge OF the ConcouIse. Nc
one seemed to be il a hurry and the utmost
good nature was apparent on every side
When the West End proper was reached, il
seemed as if one had been Transported from q
monastery into the middle of Ii fair of the
most noisy type. On every side enterprisine
spectators chanted the praises of their re-
spective commodities or institutions, and as
sured the passing public that now was q
chance of tasting viands ard beholding curl
osities which might possibly not occur again
in a lifetime.
ALL SORTS OF FAKIRs.
On one side was a burly fakir who called
| attention to the characteristics of the pig
faced lady" and referred in casual manner
to the gentleman whose only sIstenance was
| broken glass, while on the other was a shril
voiced German who kept on asserting that his
establishment was the only place where the
| genuine hot sausage could he enjoyed in al
| its pungent flavor The air resounded with
| the weird shrieks of the calliope, the extrav.
aganzas of cornet and trombone artists, and
| Flying horses, camels, swans and beasts ol
| wondrous formation all had their riders, male
| and female, who lunged furiously with short
| swords at the supended iron rings, and who
rarely, it ever, bore them off. A man with
| a club melted two dropsical goats attached tC
q miniature carriage to make some pretenst
to speed, much to the delight of couple Of
| youngsters seated in the aforesaid vehicle
Wiley touts attached to photograph gal
| leries lay in wait for victims and reiterated
the announcement that whole family grouT
could he reproduced for a quarter of a dollar
| In the sO-called concert balls men and woIner
who labored under the delusion that They
were singing murdered popular melodies fol
the delcctation Of not over critical beel
drinking audiences, and youths clad il
tawdry tights sprinkled sand on the stage
and danced with a wild abandon such as i
seen i'll no other place.
| The further west one ventured the mort
he regretted his imprudence. On every sid,
he was beset. One pirate suggested that h,
should test his lungs, another ran at him witt
q mallet, such rs Thor might have used, ant
besought him to pound peg in the grount
with view to testing his strength; another
whispered that he had a chance to buy sevel
smuggled cigars for quarter, while still IN
other took him t.y the arm and insisted on ex
planning the merits of an article, by the use O
which an old sock could be easily transformeS
into stylish necktie. The number of tn
bandits who ply their trade in this part of th
island is truly legion, and lucky is the NAL
who, having ventured among them, escape
with his money intact or whole skin. A
night came on and when myriads of gaud,
lamps were lit therevelry redoubled its licens
and scenes were enacted which one canno
sven refer to.-Brooklyn Eagle.